Sun and the Moon
by misty4ever
Summary: Sun leaves her farm home in Lavender Town to visit her mother in Goldenrod City. She doesn't know much about Pokemon, but will learn quick enough when she is swept up in a journey with a rather annoying young trainer.
1. Foreword

**Sun and the Moon**

_Foreword: _

Sun and the Moon_ begins with a farm girl named Sun Golden, who is about to visit her mother and brother in Goldenrod City. Sun has spent the brunt of her life at the family farm near Lavender Town. The farmers there are few and far between, yet possess stubbornness as hard and deep as the rocky soil they plow. They are hesitant to migrate away from their homes for extended periods of time, and have developed a close-knit sense of community with their few and far between neighbors. The residents of Goldenrod City are quite the opposite of the persistent Lavender Town farmers. Always moving from place to place as business and industry expand and relocate, these people are fickle and fastidious. The farmers are proud of their stubbornness and enjoy their unpolluted view of the night sky. The city-dwellers, on the other hand, rarely see the moon—and they could probably care less.  
_

_In this story, Sun's parents have been divorced for years. The divorce mainly came about because Sun's mother took a job in the city, and, through a series of promotions, received an offer for a prestigious job in Goldenrod City. In the process of deliberating some sort of a move, the Goldens began arguing to a ridiculous degree. Mr. Golden refused to leave the farm, for it had been in the family for years, and his own children were much too young to inherit at their ages. Mrs. Golden insisted that it was time to let go and try something new. She tried in vain to convince her husband that there were probably farming opportunities near the city. The divorce ensued, even when the Goldens went through counseling and tried to compromise. But neither side would budge. Mrs. Golden took their son, Ray, with her, and Mr. Golden kept Sun, their daughter, with him.  
_

_The story begins eight years after the divorce, so Sun is fifteen years old and Ray is eighteen years old. The children do switch parents occasionally, but are chiefly happy where they are, though they miss each other and the other parent tremendously.  
_

_Another character enters the story later on, named Robin Nock. He is a trainer who lives in New Bark Town and will have started a Pokemon journey about two months before the story begins, just in time for summer. He is fifteen years old, and lives in a rather large family. He has an older sister (Jessica) who is currently travelling in the Hoenn Region, a twin sister (Celeste) who started in the Kanto Region just as he started in the Johto region, two younger brothers (Dillon and William) who reside at home, and a much younger sister (Lisa) who recently learned to speak in complete sentences._

_This story begins on an evening in late June at the Golden Family Farm…_


	2. The Farm House

**The Farm House**

Sun Golden sat in the seat of her south-facing bedroom window, admiring the brilliance of the late June full moon. The moon's orbicular shape was reflected in Sun's deep violet eyes, and its bright light added a pearly, silver sheen to Sun's thick, waist-length black hair. The ghostly luminescence reflected off of Sun's pale skin and white satin nightgown, casting a radiant glow in the small bedroom.

The girl's skin was indeed unnaturally pale for a farm girl. Sun spent hours upon hours outdoors, yet she only ever burned. Once the burned skin peeled away, creamy, pale skin welcomed Sun rather than a tawny complexion or freckles. Such a skin trait hailed from her mother.

Amid the poetic scene in which Sun now found herself, her mind whirled over the coming events. She was to leave her home here on the farm for her mother and brother's home in the city. Sun would not be leaving for another…twelve hours; her nightstand clock informed her thus. It read 12:54 a.m., and still Sun was not tired. She turned her attention back to the window, and sighed, somewhat exasperated.

"Oh starry night," she whispered to the glass, "how fair thou art! How shimmering thy beauty, how frosty thou doth shine! Though thy beauty sparkles as diamonds, thou art dwarfed by the gem of the sky. Aye, the moon, the brilliant moon! The moon is the empress of the night; she casts her pallid glare upon all that dwell below. She turns her face each passing month to beam upon her subjects, who do but twinkle in return. Oh, celestial, heavenly night; how fair thou art!"

Such musings often sprung to Sun's lips, mostly because she spent her free time reading flowery poetry. Poetry didn't often apply to the grueling farm tasks, and so Sun found her creative outlet in the glorious night sky! She had no idea how she'd cope in a city such as Goldenrod, where light pollution reigned supreme.

The clock now read 1:03 a.m., and Sun was finally feeling somewhat weary. She had worked extra hard that day, knowing in advance that sleep would most likely elude her. Perhaps she could go see the foals? No, the young Ponyta would be peacefully sleeping. And there was no way she could call her best friends, Ikari and Kay, at this late—well, early—hour. They and their families would be fast asleep.

Sun bit her lip and twirled a lock of her straight hair around a finger. _Maybe I should just lie down and wait for sleep to come?_ she thought hesitantly. Sun hated just laying in bed when she knew she couldn't sleep. So Sun decided to just sit in her windowseat until her eyelids got too heavy to hold open. Besides, this was probably her last chance to admire the moon and allow the creative juices to flow through her mind.

Sleep eventually overcame Sun, and she fell asleep with her forehead against the glass windowpane, dreaming of Miltank jumping over the moon.

* * *

Sun's dreams were rudely interrupted by the cawing of a Dodrio. She woke with a start and a groan, for discomfort was the first sensation of wakefulness. Sun noticed that she was still perched in her windowseat. One leg hung over the edge of the seat, and that foot was asleep, and she was hugging her other knee. Her forehead had stayed on the glass all night, and her back had remained curved in a slouch during her slumber.

She slowly and stiffly rose to her feet, and stretched; several joints in her body popped or cracked. With a yawn, Sun glanced at her clock, which read 8:15 a.m. _Good_, she thought, _plenty of time to finish packing and make final preparations and say goodbyes._ Sun dressed in rather nice clothing; she thought it appropriate to arrive in the city in style. She donned a white, airy skirt with a deep purple blouse, white Ekans-skin boots,* and a beige Miltank-girl hat** adorned with a broad purple ribbon.

The scent of breakfast wafted up the stairs to Sun's bedroom: eggs and bacon and waffles! She decided to finish packing before indulging in the delicious delicacies awaiting her. Not much more needed to be done. In fact, all Sun had to do was sit on her lone suitcase and zip it shut. Sun nodded approval, and rushed downstairs to fill her empty stomach!

Mr. Golden turned around when Sun entered the room and greeted her warmly. "Good morning, Sunshine! Sleep well?"

"Well…" answered Sun, "it took a while to fall asleep. But I feel nice and awake now!"

Sun and her father ate breakfast, and, despite the cheerful atmosphere, both were dreading saying goodbye to each other. Sun was planning to spend the rest of the summer in the city; in fact, she would be staying until time to return for harvesting. Of course, her mother thought she would find a school in which to enroll her daughter, which would keep her in the city until the holidays!

"You're all packed, right?" asked Mr. Golden.

"Yeah. I zipped up my suitcase just a little bit ago," replied Sun. She smiled at her father, and his solemn face replied with a smile. Sun would miss the way her father's dull golden mustache and beard stretched when he smiled, and crinkles appeared in the corners of his eyes. But she had no desire to comply with her mother's wishes to be enrolled in a school. She'd be back in a few months!

Just then, the doorbell rang, and Sun's father answered the door. It was Sun's two best friends, Ikari and Kay! "I'll leave you three to say your goodbyes," said Mr. Golden. He proceeded to step outside; he was probably off to milk the Miltank.

"Hi Sun!" greeted Kay and Ikari in unison.

"Hello!" said Sun. A silence hung between them. This would be a particularly hard session of goodbyes. "I…wrote a poem last night, when I was staring at the moon." Sun had indeed jotted down her creative thoughts; she thought they would be appropriate to leave in the hands of her best friends.

"Let's see it," said Kay, reaching out for the piece of paper. She and Ikari glanced it over, and smiled in satisfaction. "It's so like you, bursting out into beautiful poetry!" cried Ikari. "It'll help us think of you when we have our annual bonfire…" she trailed off. Another silence fell. The annual bonfire was a tradition that went back many generations; the farmers gathered together in someone's fields, and exchanged stories, traded Pokemon, and sold early crops to each other. The three girls had met there in their early years, and so it was as much tradition for them as for anyone else.

"We brought some things for you," Kay stated, breaking the silence. She reached into the tote bag she carried and handed Sun a tin box. "Open it," she insisted softly.

Sun opened the small tin box, and inside were envelopes, stamps, paper, a few colored pens, and a Pokeball. Sun was unfamiliar with Pokeballs herself. Kay showed her how to open it. So Sun released the Pokemon from inside, and out popped a Pidgey! "A Messenger Pidgey!" exclaimed Sun. The small bird had a little tube attached to one leg, and wore a little helmet with the M.P. emblem on it. "It's so cute! Is it really for me?"

"He's all yours!" affirmed Kay. "His name is Skyler."

"Aww! Thanks, Kay!" shrieked Sun.

"I have some things for you, too," stated Ikari, smiling. She pulled a paper-wrapped package out of her bag. "Go ahead and open it!" She grinned all the more, eagerly awaiting Sun's reaction.

Sun carefully undid the wrappings, and was impressed to find a hand-sewn brown leather and suede backpack. It was obviously made by Ikari; she wanted to be a homemaker when she grew up, and was very handy at sewing, crafts, decorating, and cooking. Inside the backpack was cookbook of some of the girls' favorite recipes, an emergency sewing kit, and several colored ribbons to be tied around a Miltank-girl hat. Ikari mentioned then that Sun could use the backpack to hold the tin of stationary and Pidgey's Pokeball.

"We've got one more thing for you, to make your bedroom in the city a bit more like home," said Kay, reaching back into her bag. She pulled out a picture frame, with a very memorable picture.

The photograph portrayed the girls at last year's bonfire, with the moon shining brightly in the night sky above their heads. They were wearing matching hats and outfits: beige Miltank-girl hats with white T-shirts, blue jeans, and white Ekans-skin boots.

"Oh…" sighed Sun. She pulled her friends in for a group hug. They thought they were doing a pretty good job keeping their emotions in check, until Sun let loose a forlorn sniffle. All at once, the kitchen was filled with sounds of their weeping.

Mr. Golden came back in the house; his own eyes were red-rimmed. He took in the sight of the girls hugging tightly and crying, and rubbed the back of his neck, at a loss. "Um, girls…" he trailed off, more to announce his presence than anything. They all looked at him with identical expressions of sorrow, tears streaming down their youthful cheeks. "Why don't you go take a walk outside around the fields; there's still time before I have to take Sun into town. In fact, there's still two whole hours before we should get going."

Kay sniffled in response as Ikari gulped some air; Sun left her gifts on the kitchen table and left the house arm in arm with her two friends. They walked in silence around Sun's fields, taking in the morning quiet of the farmland. They ended up in the gazebo which sat in the middle of the land, which sheltered a wooden porch swing. The girls plopped into it and rocked back and forth, and began reminiscing on old times.

Sun suddenly said, "I know goodbyes are hard, but I've gone to see my mother before. Never for such a long time, but I've still left."

"This time just feels different for some reason," explained Kay. "I just have this feeling…that it's gonna be so much longer than it really is…"

"Plus," added Ikari, "you'll be missing the bonfire, which is what we look forward to the most each year. It'll be so incomplete without you. And we're all in puberty, so naturally our emotions are just out-of-whack."

"I suppose," relented Sun. "But Kay's right; something just feels weird this time around…"

The girls had no idea their senses of foreboding were so on-target.

* * *

Meanwhile, Mr. Golden did the breakfast dishes. He was thinking hard about what he was about to say to Sun when she returned from saying goodbye to her friends. He had made the decision to offer his suggestion to his daughter quite a while ago, but he still had lingering doubts; if she took him up on the offer, he would be waiting far longer than just the summer to see Sun again.

As he silently mused, Sun came back in the house, the trace of crying quite evident in her features. Her violet eyes were red-rimmed, tear streaks shone on her face (which looked rather blotchy after her weeping), and she kept sniffling. He went to her and embraced her, which only caused Sun to cry more.

"Shh…" he coaxed. "It's okay, Sun. I know you girls will keep in touch. And you and I will keep in touch, too. It'll be fine. But Sun, I need you to listen to me now. I have something to say to you." Mr. Golden pulled out of their hug, and held Sun by the shoulders.

"Sun, I think you should travel the world, if the opportunity presents itself," he said. Pure shock transformed Sun's face.

"But Daddy, I thought you wanted me to run the farm when I'm older! And I really want to," she replied, looking him in the eyes.

"Honey, I can tell from the way you compose poems, you need to see the world, rather than be cooped up on an old farm. Don't you interrupt me till I'm done!" he said, before Sun could raise her objections. "There are so many young people—your age—out in the world, in all the different regions, traveling and training their Pokemon. The way you work with the Pokemon we have on the farm here, it's extraordinary! They listen to you so well, and I can tell they really love you.

"So that got me thinking, you should raise your own Pokemon; be a trainer, like a lot of other kids. You'd enjoy it so much; that's the life for you, not living on a farm, making infrequent visits to one city. There are so many different cities and towns and people out there, and of course, so many Pokemon!

"When I was your age, I wanted nothing more than to be a Pokemon trainer. But my parents wouldn't hear it. They told me 'This farm's been in the family for generations, and you want to throw it away for a silly quest?'

"They laid the guilt trip on me, and so I never got to go out and see the world. Now of course, the decision's yours. But personally, I think you'd gain a lot from traveling; a lot more than just living on this farm for the rest of your life. Or in the city with your ma. Or going to schools the rest of your life. Traveling is the best way to learn."

Sun regarded her father in stunned silence. She had no idea what to say; she was speechless (which hardly ever happened). Finally, a question sprung to her lips. "You mean you really wouldn't mind if I traveled?" She began to smile, as the idea mulled around in her head, and her father smiled back. She really had wanted to travel from a very young age. But she had known that the farm meant a lot to her family, plus her best friends resided nearby. And it was her home, too. Even if she were to travel abroad.

"But Daddy, all I have is a messenger Pidgey…" she trailed off. At this, Mr. Golden chuckled.

"I forgot to tell you! I'm letting you take any two Pokemon you want—yes, even the Ponyta foals," he said before his daughter could even ask. Sun squealed in delight. "I have a couple of those Pokeballs for you, so you can officially catch them," Sun's father said as he produced two minimized Pokeballs from his pockets.

Sun, accompanied by her Daddy, went out to the barn to catch the foals, which were named Dash and Derby. "How do I catch them?" Sun asked with excitement all over her face.

"You throw the Pokeball at them, then a red beam will surround them, and they'll go inside the Pokeball. The ball will rock on the ground for a little bit, and if the catch is successful, the Pokeball will make a little sound, and you'll have caught them! Of course, only one Pokemon goes in each Pokeball," explained Mr. Golden.

"Okay, here goes!" cried Sun. She lightly tossed one Pokeball at Dash, and the other at Derby. After a few minutes, the Pokeballs confirmed the catches! "Hooray!" she cheered happily.

Father and daughter made their way back to the house, both elated that the catching had worked so well. Mr. Golden's only fears were that the taming process could be difficult for Sun without her father overseeing her efforts. But he was confident she could handle them just fine!

* * *

A little bit later, Mr. Golden drove their rusty old pickup truck along the dirt road toward Lavender Town. Sun sat in the passenger seat, and a deep sadness filled her violet eyes. She held her new backpack on her lap, filled with all her new possessions. Her suitcase was tied down in the truck bed; they rumbled down the road in silence, leaving a cloud of dirt behind them.

* * *

*_Ekans-skin boots_: These are the Pokemon version of snake-skin boots; no Pokemon were slaughtered in the making of this product. Very popular on farms. The skin is simply that shed by Pokemon.

**_Miltank-girl hat_: This is the Pokemon version of a cowboy or cowgirl hat. Term is used to clarify the story's setting in the Pokemon world. Usually made of straw or sturdy cloth. Comes in a variety of styles and colors. Often adorned with different ribbons by _Miltank-girls._


	3. The City House

**The City House**

A blimp was to carry Sun from Lavender Town to Saffron City, where she would board the midnight Magnet Train to Goldenrod City. Sun was only able to secure passage on the blimp because the Lavender Town Market needed more supplies, and Saffron was the best place to get the items. Because Sun was a farm girl in the village west of Lavender Town, and her farm was one of the many that provided produce for the town, the blimp driver was obliged to give free passage to such a helper.

Sun's goodbye to her father was as brief as possible. He gave her one last-minute item, and that was enough money for supper and to catch the Magnet Train. They hugged, not meeting each other's eyes (for if one of them began crying visibly, the other would surely start sobbing), and Sun's father planted a kiss on his daughter's rosy cheek.

Once in the air, Sun dared a glance out the blimp window; she had never flown before, but was startled by the immense beauty of the scenery that unfolded before her, glimmering in the afternoon sunlight. She caught her breath as poetry flooded her head. Afraid of being overheard, Sun merely jotted down the flowery words that bloomed in her head instead of proclaiming her poetry to the whole world—well, all the blimp inhabitants (which were comprised of herself and the pilot).

After admiring the pastoral scenery for a while, Sun began warming up to the idea of traveling. Her only worries were loneliness, and other young people not accepting her humble origins. However, Sun felt she was outgoing enough, and so her worry of acceptance was dispelled. Now her mind lingered on her Pokemon, who would have to be her constant companions.

Little did Sun know that three starting Pokemon put her far ahead of other beginning Pokemon trainers, especially since the Pidgey was already tamed and trained, and her Ponyta already recognized Sun as their loving friend. She contemplated releasing her Pokemon on board the blimp, but did not want any accidents to occur. Dash and Derby, the Ponyta foals, spewed hot fire when alarmed, confused, or extremely energetic—which they were likely to be at this point.

Sun decided to take a short nap since she wanted to be wide awake in Saffron City. The city was always bustling, making it essential to stay on one's toes to avoid getting lost or causing trouble unintentionally. In her dream, she was being chased by a herd of sparking Mareep right toward a huge cliff! She would have to jump. Sun approached the cliff's edge, and without thinking, jumped, her body stretched out long and tight. A feeling of vertigo encompassed Sun in the dream, just as a large shadowy shape flew below her, hovering, waiting to catch her…and she woke up.

The vertigo remained even though Sun was now awake, and she stumbled to the window to have a look. Large skyscrapers filled the sky in front of the blimp; they were nearing Saffron City, and the strange feeling in her stomach occurred because of the blimp's gradual descent. The Pokemon Center in Saffron City was especially large; it had a landing pad on the roof for small aircraft, such as the blimp Sun would soon be departing.

As the blimp landed, Sun was plunged into shadow, for the tall buildings blocked out the sun, still shimmering high in the sky. She grabbed her backpack, and waited for the pilot to come and unload her suitcase so that she could make her merry way to the train station. Although, a grumble of her stomach told her that she would be eating supper first.

"Good flight?" asked the pilot, coming to the room where Sun had been the entire flight. He picked up her suitcase and led her from the room.

"Yes it was!" exclaimed Sun. "I think I'll have to fly more often. It's a good sensation."

The pilot smiled at her as they exited the aircraft and strode down a retractable ramp onto the Pokemon Center roof. A kind looking lady with reddish hair in big loops wearing a pink blouse with a white apron over and a nurse's hat came over to the pair of people, tugging on a green cardigan that matched the color of the cross on her hat.

"Hello!" she greeted cheerfully, striding right up to Sun and the pilot. "I presume you're the blimp from Lavender Town?"

"Indeed, ma'am," answered the pilot, removing his cap. He set Sun's suitcase down gently. "This young lady here had passage; going to visit someone in Goldenrod City. She'll need directions to the train station."

"Wonderful!" shrieked the nurse-lady. "By the way," she said to Sun, "my name is Nurse Joy. I'll give you all the help you need!" She smiled winningly. Joy turned back to the pilot. "The shipment you need is already here; the market workers dropped off all the supplies this morning, and they're waiting in the center for your arrival. Now that you're here, they can load you up, make sure you have enough fuel, and send you back safely!"

"Thanks, ma'am," said the pilot. "Well, good day to you both, and have a safe journey!" the pilot said, directing the last bit to Sun.

"Thank you for the ride!" called Sun, waving to the pilot as Nurse Joy escorted her to the roof elevator door, struggling to heave the suitcase. "Let me get that, Miss Joy," said Sun to the nurse. The suitcase was really no problem for her to lift. After all the work she did on the farm, there wasn't too terribly much she _couldn't_ lift.

"And what's your name?" asked Nurse Joy once they were in the elevator and headed down to the main floor.

"I'm Sun Golden," said Sun, bowing her head slightly. "I'm off to visit my mother in Goldenrod City. My brother lives there too."

"How fun!" exclaimed Nurse Joy. "How long will you be gone?"

"Until the end of summer."

The elevator dinged, signaling their arrival on the main floor. "Wow," gasped Sun. A large atrium greeted her. A domed ceiling made the lobby seem roomy and airy. Comfortable looking chairs were placed all over. A square "pit" was the center of the room. One had to descend five steps, and squashy couches lined the walls of the area, their tops level with the rest of the lobby floor. A giant tear-drop shaped fireplace formed the center of the square area, a large chimney rising to the domed ceiling as an outlet for all the fumes.

Trainers were scattered in small groups here and there, chattering away. A few gave funny looks to Sun as she exited the elevator with Nurse Joy, probably on account of her hat and boots.

"Do you need a room tonight?" asked Nurse Joy.

"I shouldn't," said Sun, "as I'm catching the midnight train to Goldenrod."

"Oh my!" cried Nurse Joy. "I don't know if trainers should be out that late, especially in a city such as Saffron!"

Sun chuckled. "I was planning on eating supper, and then waiting it out at the station to ensure my safety and avoid confusion."

"Well that's a smart idea!" Nurse Joy said, smiling brightly as ever. "Would you like to eat supper here? It's much more affordable than a restaurant. And as for your suitcase, I can keep it right behind the front desk, under my watchful eyes!"

"Sounds good to me," said Sun. She sauntered toward the cafeteria, which Nurse Joy had pointed out to her. As it was about suppertime, the cafeteria was pretty packed. Sun earned herself a few more funny looks. She decided not to worry about it too much; she'd probably never see these people again.

Sun stood in line, a few interesting smells meeting her nostrils. As she approached the food itself, she suddenly understood why it was so much cheaper to just eat at the Pokemon Center. Just from looking at it (as Sun was a pretty good cook), Sun could tell that the food would be undercooked, bland, or unhealthy. She decided that she'd stick to a minimum amount of dinner, and stop by a deli or something later on her way to the train station.

She selected Jell-o, a garden salad, and a "soup of the day." In general, soups were pretty trustworthy. As a beverage, Sun thought a little MooMoo milk wouldn't be bad…until she saw that they didn't have MooMoo milk! So instead, Sun had to stick to Berry Juice. Not too horrible, considering.

Once her food was paid for, Sun glanced around the room for a seat. Nearly all the tables were full. There wasn't one table that was completely unoccupied. Casting around desperately, trying not to seem like a misfit, Sun's gaze lighted upon a lone girl, who was completely absorbed in a book in front of her. _Perfect_, thought Sun, _a fellow bookworm!_

"Hello," Sun greeted timidly, approaching the girl. She smiled as the girl looked up somewhat bewilderedly. "May I sit her with you?" she inquired politely.

"Oh, sure!" answered the girl, sliding her half-empty tray over to make more room for Sun's. "I'm Celeste Nock. What's your name?" Celeste smiled at her table guest.

"I'm Sun Golden. From Lavender Town."

"Lavender Town!" shrieked Celeste. "I haven't been there yet! That's really exciting! What's it like there? Are there many ghosts? I've heard there are ghosts all over. How big is it? Do many trainers come through?"

Sun laughed at the onslaught of questions about such a lowly place. "I'm actually not from the town itself. I live in the farming community just west of town. I've never seen a ghost there, but my friend Kay has. There's really not much there. A tiny Pokemon Center—the whole thing would fit in just the fireplace area of the lobby here. There's a Mart. And the radio tower ruins. A couple houses. They're rebuilding the radio tower though, so there have been more people around lately!"

"Wow!" exclaimed Celeste. She seemed really excited. Between this Celeste-girl and Nurse Joy, Sun had met some really eccentric people so far. She started slurping up her soup hungrily. It was quite tasteless. "So what brings you to Saffron?" asked Celeste, putting a bookmark in her book.

"I'm off to Goldenrod City to visit my mother and brother for the rest of the summer. But…my dad told me, before I left, that I should go on a Pokemon journey. I have no idea if he meant while I'm gone, or when I get back in time for harvesting."

"Hmm…" thought Celeste out loud, obviously trying to help her newfound friend with a word of advice.

"Oh, well. I'm sure I'll figure it out. What are you up to in such a big city?" asked Sun, smiling at Celeste with true interest.

"I'm on a Pokemon quest!" cried Celeste, punching the air with a fist. "I have four excellent Pokemon on my team, and three shiny gym badges!"

Sun giggled at her enthusiasm. Would she be that excited about a Pokemon journey?

"Plus," Celeste continued, "my fourth badge shall be won in this very city. However, I'm taking about a week off to visit my brother in the Johto region. His journey is well under way, and he should be in Goldenrod City any day now! In fact, he might already be there. So I'm catching the midnight Magnet Train to the other region to meet up with him! He said he's rooming at the Pokemon Center there whenever he arrives. We're just going to spend the week training together for upcoming gym battles and such. There're lots of great training spots around Goldenrod, especially the National Park north of the city."

"Sounds neat!" said Sun, now really hoping her father meant her to start her journey while she was gone, for she believed that this girl—or her brother, if he was as outgoing and enthusiastic as his sister—would take her in as a travel companion. "What Pokemon do you have?" Sun was curious as to what kind of Pokemon trainers traveled with.

"I have an Espeon, a Beedrill, a Graveler, and a Krabby!"

Sun hadn't even heard of Espeon. "Those sound…" Sun trailed off, unable to voice a response to something she really had no idea about.

Celeste giggled. "You don't know much about Pokemon, do you?" she asked with a knowing smile. "That's okay, though. There's plenty to learn! Do you have any Pokemon?"

"Yes," said Sun, somewhat sheepishly. Thinking about her three companions, she wished she had some more exotic Pokemon, like Celeste. "I have one messenger Pidgey named Skyler and two Ponyta foals, named Dash and Derby."

"TWO PONYTAS?" shrieked Celeste, drawing the stares of many other trainers. "You're not a trainer, and you have _two_ Ponytas?" asked Celeste, dropping her voice considerably.

"Well, we have a whole bunch of them on the farm. Those two are my favorite, and they know I'm a friend. My dad allowed me two companions from our farm Pokemon, and of course I picked those two!" explained Sun.

"Wow…" gasped Celeste. "So…" she started, looping back around to another subject. "When are you heading to Goldenrod? Probably in the morning, huh?"

"Actually, I, too, am taking the midnight Magnet Train!" exclaimed Sun, smiling gladly. "I can't take the morning one because my mom works. Speaking of the train, do you know where the station is?"

"I sure do!" affirmed Celeste. "I've pretty much got this city figured out. And I assume you're going to want to stop for another snack for on the train. The food here isn't the best…" Celeste trailed off.

"Yes, extra food will be in order. Perhaps a deli? Then we can get coffee, too." Sun smiled, thinking sumptuously of a steaming cup of black coffee.

"Sounds good to me!" agreed Celeste. "You done?" Sun nodded. "We can head out then, and get to the station before it gets dark. Do you have reading material? Otherwise you can read one of my books."

"Oh, I've got books!" said Sun, patting her backpack on the seat next to her.

"Great! Then we're all set!" said Celeste, standing up to throw out her garbage and turn in her tray. Sun stood up to follow.

The girls gathered their belongings, and stopped at the front desk to retrieve Sun's suitcase. Nurse Joy bid them farewell, not letting them leave until she was sure they would reach their destination safely.

Sun and Celeste exited the center, and chatted eccentrically as they sought out a deli. Finding one still open, even though it was getting dark, they made their purchases and made their way to the train station. Their journey through the still-crowded streets was rather uneventful; Celeste knew just where she was going.

Once the girls reached the train station, they bought their tickets for the Midnight Train. They were still talking away. Sun learned that Celeste was from New Bark Town, and that the brother she would be meeting up with was her twin! Sun told Celeste about Ray, and her parents, and how they were divorced, earning a shocked and sad look from her newfound friend. Sun asked if Celeste had other siblings, and was pleased to hear about the older sister, younger brothers, and youngest sister.

"It must be nice to have such a huge family!" said Sun, smiling at the detailed descriptions Celeste had provided of her siblings and parents.

"It's fun…definitely keeps us all busy. But sometimes, a little solitude isn't unwelcome. I mean, I technically share a room with my older sister, even though we're both gone right now. My journey has been so nice, because I'm on my own! I can breathe a little. Do my own thing."

"I sometimes wouldn't mind more companionship," stated Sun. "But I do have my two best friends, Kay and Ikari! We spend so much time together. But the nice thing is that we never tire of each other's company either."

"Well that's good!" exclaimed Celeste. "With my family around all the time at home, it's simply annoying being cooped up with them all the time!"

"Do you have any friends from your hometown?"

"Well, there are a few other kids. Mostly boys. Two other boys from my hometown left on journeys this year. One of them actually began training at the minimum age, thirteen! So he's got some traveling experience. He's somewhere in the Kanto region. The other one is really good friends with my brother, so they're probably traveling together around Johto. Oh, and there's this one guy…" Celeste trailed off, a blush creeping up to her cheeks.

Sun smiled at her companion. "This one guy?" she asked.

"Yeah," said Celeste, releasing a dreamy sigh. "Well, he's a year older than me, and just finished his third region. He's actually in New Bark Town right now, taking some time off before going off to find another place to explore. He's pretty…nice."

Sun giggled.

"Do you like any boys?" asked Celeste, getting the spotlight off herself.

"Nope," Sun answered rather quickly, but assuredly. "There aren't any boys in the farming community my age. A few older ones, but that's talking early twenties, and a few younger ones. You know, the really immature age group."

"That's lucky. No one for you to pine after while you're stuck at home and all the other kids are out and about, making friends and having adventures," said Celeste. "I don't think Hank—that's the guy's name—is interested in me. I am only fifteen. He's sixteen! Plus, I'm just some hometown chick with no traveling experience, while he's seen exotic places, has friends from all over—you know, probably—and owns a veritable amount of Pokemon!"

"I suppose you have a point," agreed Sun. It was a good thing neither she nor her friends had boyfriends; then they had more time to dedicate to each other! Who needed boys?

From here, the conversation went on a bit further, eventually ending in a companionable silence, at which point each of the girls grabbed a book from her bag and read as they waited for the train to arrive.

Sun put down her book for a bit and took a nap in her chair as the time stretched on and on. She woke up at one point to find Celeste snoozing lightly with her book open on her lap. She smiled, and closed her eyes once more. There was still an hour before the train would be leaving.

Celeste woke Sun up an hour later. It was time to board the train!

"I'm so excited!" said Sun, blinking the sleep out of her eyes. She was feeling more awake with each passing moment.

"Me too!" agreed Celeste, stretching her lanky limbs as she stood up to gather her things. Celeste was a few inches taller than Sun, and quite bony and skinny. She had white-blond hair at the roots with magenta tips—obviously a previous hair dye color; her hair was short, styled in a pixie cut with a pair of sunglasses perched atop her head. Celeste wore short, tight black athletic shorts bearing a white stripe down each side, a white T-shirt with magenta swirls all over, a denim vest over that, with denim sneakers to complete the outfit. "Let's get going!"

"Alright," said Sun, a little bit of grogginess returning to her demeanor. They boarded the train, and found a couple unoccupied chairs in an observation car. Windows lined the whole of the car, but lights were necessary as it was dark outside. Not too many passengers rode the Midnight Train. The ride wouldn't be lasting long at all—an hour at most, as it was nighttime.

Shortly after being seated, an announcement came on, saying that the train was now leaving. Sun and Celeste waited with bated breath. The train started moving slowly, but within five minutes, it was hurtling along the track at top-speed. Dark trees passed the window outside. At one point, the train bulleted through a large clearing. There were probably Pokemon out there, but they were unseen by the passengers since the train moved so swiftly.

Forty-five minutes after leaving Saffron City, the train pulled in to Goldenrod City. The train had slowed down considerably upon reaching the city outskirts; this was necessary because Goldenrod's main boulevard stood between the train and its station. Even at almost one 'o clock in the morning, there was traffic that had to wait for the train to pass—both car and pedestrian traffic, that is.

Celeste and Sun, suddenly tired without the high speed of the train through the dark to fuel their adrenaline, sauntered sleepily into the Goldenrod City train station. The other passengers looked just as groggy, dragging suitcases or small children in their wake towards the exit of the station.

"Do you have a person picking you up?" asked Celeste. "Or just an address to try to find in this hopelessly large place?"

"My brother should be here," answered Sun, stifling a yawn and failing. "In fact, there he is!" she said, smiling sleepily as a young man with golden, straw-colored hair that fell into his eyes approached, smirking shyly. They reached each other. And didn't say anything.

Sun and her brother, Ray, just looked at each other for the longest time, Celeste wondering what was going on, until Sun finally threw herself into her brother with a huge hug and a sob. Ray lowered his head onto his sister's, and returned the hug full-force. Tears glinted in the corners of Celeste's eyes. It was such an emotional scene.

Finally, the siblings broke apart, Sun wiping her eyes rapidly. She sniffled once, then said, "Ray, this is my friend, Celeste. She needs to go the Pokemon Center, since that's where she's staying. Can we take her there?"

Ray regarded Celeste, and smiled at her, offering his hand. "Nice to meet you," he said. Celeste shook his hand enthusiastically, also smiling, trying not to gape at him with her mouth hanging open. Never had she seen such a handsome guy. Even at this late hour, his blue eyes glinted magically, sparkling as if the heavenly bodies shone out of them. All thoughts of Hank were dispelled from Celeste's head.

"Not a problem, taking you to the Pokemon Center," Ray told Celeste as he began lugging Sun's suitcase toward the exit. "In fact, it's on the way home," he added, holding the door open for his sister and her friend.

A few cars were parked in the small parking lot, most with people just getting in and starting the engines. Ray led the girls to a nice black car, and loaded Sun's luggage in the trunk. Sun and Celeste hopped in the backseats, and Ray drove them. Within five minutes, Sun was standing outside the Pokemon Center, hugging Celeste goodbye. Celeste gave Sun her phone number, and assured her that she'd be in town at least a week. Sun told her friend that she'd call, and hoped to meet Celeste's brother.

Ray drove Sun the rest of the way to the house, which took another twenty minutes. "Was the Center really on the way home?" Sun asked Ray. He looked at her (Sun had moved to the front seat after they dropped off Celeste), and shook his head guiltily. Sun smirked, and looked out the window.

They were passing house after modern house, each one at least twice the size of the farm house. Ray turned, and the houses were slightly smaller, but not much. He pulled into the driveway of one, and parked the car outside the garage. "Here we are," he said unenthusiastically. Sun stepped out of the car and stared at the house. It was a cheery light green, really big, and somewhat imposing. "Don't worry," Ray said, heaving Sun's suitcase toward the front door, "Mom keeps the place nice and airy; you'll find the interior homey and comfortable."

Sun smiled at her brother's words, and followed him into the dark house. The front door opened into a large foyer, which had adjacent openings into the kitchen and dining room, and the living room straight ahead. Ray led Sun in the direction of the living room, where a wooden stairwell stood regally. He lugged the suitcase upstairs, and down the small network of hallways to a door that stood slightly ajar.

"Here's your room," Ray stated, flicking on the lights and dragging the suitcase into the room. He left the suitcase against a wall, said goodnight, and left the bedroom for his own room. He was quite obviously eager for some sleep.

Sun regarded the large room—all for her—and took off her hat and boots. She turned the lights back off, flopped on the bed, and fell asleep instantly.


End file.
